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Legally-Themed Racehorse Names? Your Nominations, Please

Monday, May 12, 2008 6:32 PM - By David Lat

Affirmed race horse racehorse.JPGRecently we’ve been thinking about law-related names for racehorses. The subject came up when we were reading about how Big Brown, the 2008 Kentucky Derby winner, might win the Triple Crown and join the company of Affirmed (pictured) — the last winner of the Triple Crown, in 1978.

Hearing about a racing horse named “Affirmed” led us to start thinking about other legally-themed horse names. A few ideas:

— “Reversed” (or “Reversed and Remanded”)

We liked how it played off of “Affirmed.” But it’s “probably not the kind of message you want to send to the oddsmakers,” said a friend.

— “Cert Denied”

Kinda badass, no? We’ll put it down as a possibility.

— “GVR”

Suggested by another friend, to continue on the Supreme Court disposition theme. “GVR” stands for “Grant, Vacate, and Remand” — which can, depending on the circumstances, be something of a benchslap. But maybe it’s too technical, appreciated only by SCOTUS junkies?

— “Desuetude”

Nominated by a third friend (in the midst of studying for law-school finals). It’s erudite, but a bit short on sex appeal.

Have an idea for a law-related racehorse name, à la Affirmed? If so, feel free to leave it in the comments. If we get enough nominations, maybe we’ll hold a contest. Also, feel free to weigh in on the names previously mentioned, if you strong feelings about any of them.

Update: Please make sure that your nomination complies with these naming rules (posted by a helpful commenter).

Further Update: Okay, we’ve reached the 400-comment mark on this post, so we’re closing the thread. Poll to follow shortly.

More about racehorses and the law, after the jump.

Here’s a different legal angle on horse racing and the law. Chris Barnstable-Brown — one of the Kentucky Derby’s most powerful people, as an organizer of one of its top parties — is a law student. And he’s apparently a rather good law student, since he’s going to be working at Cravath and clerking for the Sixth Circuit. See here.

Barnstable-Brown will be especially valuable as a clerk if the Sixth Circuit ever gets another case about permissible names for racehorses. As you may recall, in 2007 the court ruled in favor of the Jockey Club, which successfully prevented a horse owner from naming his filly “Sally Hemings.”

Update: Here’s a third legal angle on the Kentucky Derby and horse racing, from the WSJ Law Blog:

Did Eight Belles, the Kentucky Derby contender (pictured) that was euthanized on the track minutes after breaking both front ankles, suffer a more humane fate than Kentucky’s death-row inmates? That was the question raised on Friday, when Justice Stevens, speaking to lawyers and judges in Chattanooga, said he was surprised that Kentucky law prohibits killing animals with one of the drugs in a three-drug cocktail whose constitutionality was affirmed last month by the High Court in Baze v. Rees.

P.S. This is admittedly a bit random; we should have written about it last Monday, right after the Kentucky Derby. So we thank you for your indulgence.

Update: Okay, we’ve reached the 400-comment mark on this post, so we’re closing the thread. Poll to follow shortly.

Affirmed [Wikipedia]
Chris Barnstable-Brown, 25 [Velocity Weekly]
Eight Belle’s Euthanasia: More Humane Than Capital Punishment? [WSJ Law Blog]

Earlier: Lawsuit of the Day: Sixth Circuit Horses Around With Literary References

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Posted in: 6th Circuit, Animal Law, Pets, Sports

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